Rumors
by Sanded Silk
Summary: Sequel to Unexpected Christmas Gift. Rated for language even though there's really only one bad word... NejiSaku


There was a request for a sequel to "Unexpected Christmas Gift", so here I am, typing away on my sucky computer, improvising as I blab away... o.O Moving on. In case you haven't read "Unexpected Christmas Gift", read it: it's only one chapter long, and you won't get anything in this story if you don't read "Unexpected Christmas Gift" first. 

And for those of you who already read "Unexpected Christmas Gift", enjoy this sequelette, I guess...? XD Ah well. I'm not sure if this will turn out to be multi-chaptered (and I know 'chaptered' isn't a word...), but who knows? ;D

...Yeah.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto... darn you, Masashi...**

-Sanded Silk-

* * *

Everyone noticed the change in the relationship between the Hyuuga prodigy and the Haruno blossom after the holidays passed. Normally, if the two were to meet in public by coincidence, they would exchange a polite greeting, before moving on with their business as though nothing happened. Now, if they were to meet in the same manner, they exchanged more than a polite greeting, but some "extra" words, and most of these coincidential meetings turned into either deep conversations about something that recquired extreme intellectual ability, or ended with quiet laughs and lifted moods.

Hyuuga Hiashi had also noticed a change in the attitude of his nephew. He noticed that the boy seemed to smile more often, and didn't seem to snap at Hinata as much. Naruto, Kakashi and Tsunade also noticed that Sakura seemed to perform better in her healing and physical training, and seemed to smile more often.

And, of course, people had spotted Sakura and Neji training together out in the woods; Sakura honing her genjutsu skills, and Neji practicing with his Byakugan.

Most of all, there was the scarves.

Naruto had asked about Sakura's after seeing the Hyuuga symbol on it. Sakura replied simply, "Neji gave it to me." Naruto had nodded, smiling, and Sakura had chosen to ignore his reaction. Tenten also noticed the expensive, matching-white cloth around Neji's neck, except with an emerald Sakura blossom emblazoned into the corner. She didn't have to ask to know who that scarf came from. Soon, gossip began to circulate around all of Konoha; gossip that the ice-cold heart of the Hyuuga prodigy had finally melted to the warmth of the Haruno cherry blossom.

One cold but sunny day found the two in the Hyuuga complex, sipping tea and silently enjoying each other's company. Finally, Sakura put down her cup on the table silently, and turned to Neji solemnly. "Neji-kun," She began hesitantly. Neji inclined his head toward her silently, his cup still at his lips. She had begun to add the -kun suffix at the end of his name.

Sakura contemplated for a moment how to bring up her concerns, staring at her folded hands in her lap. "...Surely you've heard of the rumors that are spreading throughout Konoha...?" She asked. Neji nodded, unblinking, his face unchanging. "Yes," he said solemnly. "I do, in fact." Sakura sighed a small, inaudible sigh. "...What do you make of it? Should we stop...being friendly to each other in public...?" Neji didn't answer, his fingers rubbing the emblazoned corner of the scarf. Sakura caught sight of his hand, and quickly looked away.

"I'm sorry," She said, nearly tearful. "It's all my fault! If I hadn't given you that scrap of cloth-" Neji held up a hand to stop her. "It's not you," He said. "On the day you gave that scarf to me, I was feeling a bit cold," He looked up at her with carefully controlled eyes. "Not in the physical way," he added. Sakura merely looked at him, confused.

Neji's eyes slid to the side before he turned his whole face from her. "Everyone I knew- even my uncle- had things to do that would keep them away from me, and I felt...lonely," he said. "If it weren't for that, you wouldn't have found me out in the woods, training. The scarf; it didn't just warm me physically. It warmed me emotionally, too."

Sakura moved to sit by Neji, and she placed a small hand over his larger, more masculine one. She couldn't think of anything to say as the two sat there in complete silence.

"But seriously," She said, breaking the heavy silence. "What should we do?"

Neji smirked, turning his head back to Sakura. "Let them talk all they want," he said, his voice not as tense anymore. "Only we know what's true and what's not, and that's as far as I'm concerned." Sakura smiled back, lifting first one corner of her mouth, and then the other. The usual sparkle in her emerald eyes returned.

"Ok," She said quietly. And for the first time since they had met, Sakura leaned forward and wrapped her slim arms around his neck, bringing her cheek to his. "Only we know, then," She said more quietly.

Neji just sat there, his whole body frozen, his mind whirling. Of all things to do, why was she _hugging_ him? Not one female in his life dared to even touch him, and here was the innocent pink-haired girl, her arms wrapped securely around her neck, her cool cheek pressed against his.

Damn, this placed him in a desperate situation.

What was he supposed to do now? Hug her back? Push her away? Make some sarcastic comment?

Finally, Neji wrapped his arms around her hesitantly, resting his hands on the small of her back. Sakura inwardly smiled. "Thank you, Neji," She whispered. "No," He whispered back. "Thank you."

And Sakura forgot all concerns she had in mind about the public media as she sat there in Neji's loose arms.

* * *

**A/N**: Oh man. I never knew oneshots could be so CRAPPY. o.O

Ah well. Thanks for taking the precious time to read my crappy piece of randomness. I'll probably be re-writing this, after some reviews and criticism is submitted.

-Sanded Silk-


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